Gospel Spreaders...Mouth of Witnesses...Sisters Williams and Flanery

President John Pingree, Sister Chelsea Williams, Sister Anne Pingree

June 30, 2014

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times....

Ok, I'll stop being dramatic, but this will be one of the most bitter sweet weeks of my life. We just got news that the Mortensen's have officially arrived in Houston and that the Pingrees are leaving tomorrow morning. Gahhhh!!! I just don't know how to feel because I seriously love the Pingrees with all of my heart, but I am slightly excited, but mostly just curious, to see what the Mortensen's will be like. The only thing is that I can't have both. Either the Pingrees stay and I never get to meet the Mortensen's, or the Mortensen's get here and the Pingrees leave. Fortunately and unfortunately this is not my decision to make and it has already been made. So we will officially meet the new mission presidency on Wednesday and then have pesonal interviews with them throughout the coming 2 weeks. It will be an interesting transfer for sure.

So in way of goodbyes, we were able to have a temple trip with President Pingree and his wife last week, and it was amazing. I have never been so happy and so sad in my life. It was a miraculous experience to see these beautiful people, that I have grown so close to, dressed in white standing in the house of the Lord, all of us united in our common love and belief in this everlasting gospel and the joy that we know it does bring. I couldn't help but picture my entire family standing in the temple and all of us expressing our great joy that we had all made it. I really did catch a glimpse of what heaven could be like and of what it would feel like and I know that nothing is ever worth losing the opportunity to have that expereince with those I love. I think that's one of the greatest blessings of the temple. We not only get to do ordinance work by proxy for those that cannot do it for themselves, but we also get to be reminded of why we labor so long and so hard in this life. We get to be reminded of what it feels like to be in the presence of our Father in Heaven and how once we get there it won't be a fleeting moment, but it will be for eternity. Ahh, so great. I can't wait, but I know I have to because there is still work to do.

Other than that, not much happened this past week. Our investigators, Hunter and Lexi Bradshaw, are getting baptized this Friday and I am so excited for them. Even though they are so young they have such understanding and a desire to live this gospel because they know it will make them happy. If only we were all like little kids (Mosiah 3:19). Anyways, we are still working on Monica and working with Paris. I know that once they understand and realize that this is the Lord's true church and that this is His gospel and plan of happiness, then everything else will fall into place. That's just the way it works (Alma 5:7-9).

Well, I love you family, and I hope that you have a wonderful week. See you soon!

-Love Sister Williams